Freedom from Projection: A Step Toward Balance

We spoke of using a present observation of oneself as a peep-hole into the past, which sometimes leads to seeing how one has always been like what one has just observed now. This gives great depth to self-observation. It need not be depressing as some seem to think. I would rather say it is liberating. Everything that one makes conscious results in a sense of freedom.

It seems a paradox to say that to become conscious of an unattractive feature operating all through one's life of which one was formerly ignorant gives a sense of liberation; but you can find the reason for yourself.

No. 4 Man or Woman, or Balanced Man or Woman, cannot be one-sided. You must be conscious of everything in yourself and so will project nothing. If you project nothing on to others, you will not become identified with others. You will thus attain a great freedom.

Maurice Nicoll, “Furrther Commentary on Making Work-Effort" in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 5, p. 1523-1524)